In my previous post I began the story of how my quest to use a wireless connectivity feature in my notebook computer gave me a new perspective on how the IT Service Management framework can add value to the IT service organization and, ultimately, to the business as a whole.
While trying to activate and use the built-in broadband wireless connectivity in my new notebook computer, I have ping ponged between the technical support lines of the computer manufacturer and the wireless carrier.
Several days, phone calls and web chat sessions followed before a different technician on the manufacturer’s Service Desk asked if I had activated my wireless phone number. He described the process and that’s when I found out that the telephone service carrier’s online process hadn’t provided all the information necessary to actually use the service. I thanked the technician and once again called technical support number at the wireless carrier.
Thanks to the computer company’s technician I learned that I needed to contact the wireless provider to get an activation code and MSID to activate and configure the preinstalled software. A technician at the wireless carrier heard my problem and quickly provided the missing pieces of information. Foolishly confident, I opened the software and attempted to enter the activation codes following the simple prompts provided.
The result was an error that had me right on the phone and web with the computer manufacturer’s Service Desk. Three simple steps, executed in order, and still no connectivity. Computer support, apparently not having read the open ticket tried to have me reinstall software a second time. We went through the same process again and got the same result… no connectivity. The computer manufacturer’s technician suggested that the wireless carrier had given me bad numbers. The score: 14 days, 7 calls, 6 e-chats and still no connectivity. On day 14 I gave up and cancelled the wireless broadband account because neither side could make it work.
As a customer of this partnership between computer manufacturer and wireless provider, I have a poorer opinion of both companies than before. They did not follow even the simple Deming PDCA level of quality management. A customer focused organization would not have stopped until my problem was accurately diagnosed, the root cause identified and the problem resolved to my satisfaction.
How could a framework like ITSM have helped in this situation? One, clear unambiguous escalation processes would have brought more technical expertise to bear on my question before I was bounced back and forth repeatedly. Two, a central knowledge repository would have made the history of my contacts available to all the technicians I spoke with allowing them to get more information from me rather than asking the same questions over and over. Three, a customer focus would have trained the Service Desk staff to listen and probe to assure that the customer problem or desire was fully and accurately captured before a course of action was taken. Four, mature problem management processes would have focused on assuring that my problem was completed resolved and full functionality of computer broadband capability restored.
This story is not quite over as I took the next logical step as a consumer and wrote a letter via “snail mail” to the Chief Marketing Officer of the computer company to let them know how unhappy I am with the service I received.
While trying to activate and use the built-in broadband wireless connectivity in my new notebook computer, I have ping ponged between the technical support lines of the computer manufacturer and the wireless carrier.
Several days, phone calls and web chat sessions followed before a different technician on the manufacturer’s Service Desk asked if I had activated my wireless phone number. He described the process and that’s when I found out that the telephone service carrier’s online process hadn’t provided all the information necessary to actually use the service. I thanked the technician and once again called technical support number at the wireless carrier.
Thanks to the computer company’s technician I learned that I needed to contact the wireless provider to get an activation code and MSID to activate and configure the preinstalled software. A technician at the wireless carrier heard my problem and quickly provided the missing pieces of information. Foolishly confident, I opened the software and attempted to enter the activation codes following the simple prompts provided.
The result was an error that had me right on the phone and web with the computer manufacturer’s Service Desk. Three simple steps, executed in order, and still no connectivity. Computer support, apparently not having read the open ticket tried to have me reinstall software a second time. We went through the same process again and got the same result… no connectivity. The computer manufacturer’s technician suggested that the wireless carrier had given me bad numbers. The score: 14 days, 7 calls, 6 e-chats and still no connectivity. On day 14 I gave up and cancelled the wireless broadband account because neither side could make it work.
As a customer of this partnership between computer manufacturer and wireless provider, I have a poorer opinion of both companies than before. They did not follow even the simple Deming PDCA level of quality management. A customer focused organization would not have stopped until my problem was accurately diagnosed, the root cause identified and the problem resolved to my satisfaction.
How could a framework like ITSM have helped in this situation? One, clear unambiguous escalation processes would have brought more technical expertise to bear on my question before I was bounced back and forth repeatedly. Two, a central knowledge repository would have made the history of my contacts available to all the technicians I spoke with allowing them to get more information from me rather than asking the same questions over and over. Three, a customer focus would have trained the Service Desk staff to listen and probe to assure that the customer problem or desire was fully and accurately captured before a course of action was taken. Four, mature problem management processes would have focused on assuring that my problem was completed resolved and full functionality of computer broadband capability restored.
This story is not quite over as I took the next logical step as a consumer and wrote a letter via “snail mail” to the Chief Marketing Officer of the computer company to let them know how unhappy I am with the service I received.
Rhane Thomas
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